St. Luke's to cut 60 jobs, save $3.2M

NEWBURGH — St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital announced Thursday that it will cut its workforce by approximately 60 positions — its latest attempt to deal with what it says are continuing operating losses.

MICHAEL RANDALL

NEWBURGH — St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital announced Thursday that it will cut its workforce by approximately 60 positions — its latest attempt to deal with what it says are continuing operating losses.

The hospital estimated the job cuts will result in $3.2 million in savings. The actual number of workers laid off will be 30 to 35, with the balance of cuts coming through the elimination of vacant positions. No bedside nurses will be laid off, the hospital said.

St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital is projecting a $10 million operating loss this year. Hospital President Robert S. Ross said among the factors contributing to the loss are a decline in patient volume and a reduction in reimbursement for services. Hospitals all across the country are seeing similar impacts, Ross said.

"Difficult decisions must be made to sustain quality care and services to our community," Ross said in a statement released by the hospital.

"These losses simply cannot be sustained if we are going to continue providing service to our community. We must address this loss and are looking at all opportunities to further identify savings and efficiencies."

In a previous cost-cutting effort, St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital announced last month it had asked the state Health Department for permission to reduce the hours at the emergency room at its Cornwall campus to between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m.

The hospital said patient volume at the Cornwall emergency room is low during the overnight hours, sometimes averaging only one patient per hour. That proposal has triggered protests from political officeholders and others.